The stereotype we have is of the Dwarf Cleric, but I'd like to explore the option of a Celestial Warlock instead.
Since Mountain Dwarf has medium armor proficiency, along with warhammer and battleaxe, it's a good basis for the concept. I'm thinking Pact of the Blade to support the melee style that we expect from Clerics.
Starting statistics. Str 17, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 15. First ASI will be +1 to Str and Cha.
I think the Cloistered Scholar background would be appropriate for him, maybe at Candlekeep.
Since Celestial Warlock comes with light and sacred flame cantrips it's less eldritch blast dependent than the regular Warlock, although EB would still be an option. That frees up some invocation slots to focus on pumping his melee ability with improved pact weapon, thirsting blade, eldritch smite, lifedrinker. Like most casters he'd probably take armor of shadows until he can afford a breastplate or half-plate armour.
Pact of the Blade gives you proficiency with your Pact Weapon, which can be any melee weapon, but Dwarven proficiency will help before level three.
I don't understand the general dislike on these boards for EB. Is saying "I cast Sacred Flame again" somehow more rewarding than saying "I cast Eldritch Blast again" or even "I swing my weapon again"?
Probably just the novelty of a Warlock build that isn't casting Eldritch Blast all the time.
For myself I quite like it, but it's nice having another ranged option to take the weight off Warlock's somewhat limited cantrip slots.
I used to think of the Mountain Dwarf as one of the weaker races and perhaps it is, but its bonus armor proficiencies, along with the total +4 to statistics, actually are quite handy if you want to make a gish type caster.
Grabbing EB is still worth it, but the flexibility in checking AC or Dex save is a worthwhile utility.
As someone who did a pretty similar thing in a campaign (It had a homebrewed race that was pretty close to mountain dwarf with stat bonuses and armor proficiency), I ended up doing the classic polearm control combo. Something to consider though is that the SCAG cantrips are warlock accessible, meaning you can use those to shore up your melee damage if you aren't spending a bonus action on healing or hex. A warning as well is that while your dice pool is nice you can't really act as a powerful healer, and more of a "oh your down? let me get you back up really quick" type.
I don't understand the general dislike on these boards for EB. Is saying "I cast Sacred Flame again" somehow more rewarding than saying "I cast Eldritch Blast again" or even "I swing my weapon again"?
Because people want to be "different", no matter how much worse that might make them. For a blade lock, I'd certainly consider not taking EB. For a non-blade lock...lolno
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
I wouldn't even mess with medium armor maybe. Take advantage of the medium armor proficiency, grab heavy armor at level 4 and have 18 AC and 18 strength. At level 5 swing that heavy weapon twice per round (as any reputable dwarf would). No one at the table will even know you're not a paladin until your "smite" does force damage. Any real "champion of a celestial" should be able to swing a greataxe/greatsword around imo. :)
I have a character I'm working on currently - level 1 Forge Cleric (Hill Dwarf) then full Celestial Warlock. I call him the "real war priest". When I think war priest, I think heavy armor with 2 attacks with a 2h maul and battlefield buffing/healing allies. Nothing does that better than a 1 cleric / x Celestial Bladelock or . I would honestly RP him as a "lightbringer" , maybe the table will just assume your another dwarf paladin. *grin*, then you cast spirit shroud and start bashing everything for 4d6 + 2d8 + mods per round while bonus action popping your allies up off the ground. You have Word of Radiance + CHA damage for zombie hoards or others. Also, Eldritch Smite + a Dwarven Thrower pact weapon in higher tiers could make for some very fun Dragon slaying.
You could totally do the build full Celestial Warlock as a Mountain Dwarf or 1 cleric/ X Warlock as a hill dwarf for more HP and rituals for level 1 cleric spells plus two more utility spells per day. I get it - Paladins can do some of this and do more damage, but they aren't casting Crown of Stars, and they aren't using Searing Vengeance once some monster finally gets through their plate armor and self-healing, and they aren't rolling 20s for all Charisma checks as they bring the will of the Celestial with their Glibness, or True Polymorphing themselves or an ally into a Planetar. It's not "optimized", but it's thematic and fun!
The stereotype we have is of the Dwarf Cleric, but I'd like to explore the option of a Celestial Warlock instead.
Since Mountain Dwarf has medium armor proficiency, along with warhammer and battleaxe, it's a good basis for the concept. I'm thinking Pact of the Blade to support the melee style that we expect from Clerics.
Starting statistics. Str 17, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 15. First ASI will be +1 to Str and Cha.
I think the Cloistered Scholar background would be appropriate for him, maybe at Candlekeep.
Since Celestial Warlock comes with light and sacred flame cantrips it's less eldritch blast dependent than the regular Warlock, although EB would still be an option. That frees up some invocation slots to focus on pumping his melee ability with improved pact weapon, thirsting blade, eldritch smite, lifedrinker. Like most casters he'd probably take armor of shadows until he can afford a breastplate or half-plate armour.
It's a valid build.
Pact of the Blade gives you proficiency with your Pact Weapon, which can be any melee weapon, but Dwarven proficiency will help before level three.
I don't understand the general dislike on these boards for EB. Is saying "I cast Sacred Flame again" somehow more rewarding than saying "I cast Eldritch Blast again" or even "I swing my weapon again"?
Probably just the novelty of a Warlock build that isn't casting Eldritch Blast all the time.
For myself I quite like it, but it's nice having another ranged option to take the weight off Warlock's somewhat limited cantrip slots.
I used to think of the Mountain Dwarf as one of the weaker races and perhaps it is, but its bonus armor proficiencies, along with the total +4 to statistics, actually are quite handy if you want to make a gish type caster.
Grabbing EB is still worth it, but the flexibility in checking AC or Dex save is a worthwhile utility.
As someone who did a pretty similar thing in a campaign (It had a homebrewed race that was pretty close to mountain dwarf with stat bonuses and armor proficiency), I ended up doing the classic polearm control combo. Something to consider though is that the SCAG cantrips are warlock accessible, meaning you can use those to shore up your melee damage if you aren't spending a bonus action on healing or hex. A warning as well is that while your dice pool is nice you can't really act as a powerful healer, and more of a "oh your down? let me get you back up really quick" type.
Because people want to be "different", no matter how much worse that might make them. For a blade lock, I'd certainly consider not taking EB. For a non-blade lock...lolno
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
I wouldn't even mess with medium armor maybe. Take advantage of the medium armor proficiency, grab heavy armor at level 4 and have 18 AC and 18 strength. At level 5 swing that heavy weapon twice per round (as any reputable dwarf would). No one at the table will even know you're not a paladin until your "smite" does force damage. Any real "champion of a celestial" should be able to swing a greataxe/greatsword around imo. :)
I have a character I'm working on currently - level 1 Forge Cleric (Hill Dwarf) then full Celestial Warlock. I call him the "real war priest". When I think war priest, I think heavy armor with 2 attacks with a 2h maul and battlefield buffing/healing allies. Nothing does that better than a 1 cleric / x Celestial Bladelock or . I would honestly RP him as a "lightbringer" , maybe the table will just assume your another dwarf paladin. *grin*, then you cast spirit shroud and start bashing everything for 4d6 + 2d8 + mods per round while bonus action popping your allies up off the ground. You have Word of Radiance + CHA damage for zombie hoards or others. Also, Eldritch Smite + a Dwarven Thrower pact weapon in higher tiers could make for some very fun Dragon slaying.
You could totally do the build full Celestial Warlock as a Mountain Dwarf or 1 cleric/ X Warlock as a hill dwarf for more HP and rituals for level 1 cleric spells plus two more utility spells per day. I get it - Paladins can do some of this and do more damage, but they aren't casting Crown of Stars, and they aren't using Searing Vengeance once some monster finally gets through their plate armor and self-healing, and they aren't rolling 20s for all Charisma checks as they bring the will of the Celestial with their Glibness, or True Polymorphing themselves or an ally into a Planetar. It's not "optimized", but it's thematic and fun!